Machine for impaling, feeding, and slicing commodities



Nov. 29, 1949 H. L. BIRD ET AL 2,489,395

MACHINE FOR IMPALING, FEEDING, AND SLICING COMMODITIES Filed Sept. 17, 1945 3 Sheets-Sheet l INVENTORJ flf/vfiy L 5/50 & 4/?790/5 E051,-

Nov. 29, 1949 H 1.. BIRD ET AL 2,489,395

MACHINE FOR IMPALING, FEEDING, AND SLICING COMMQDITIES- 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Sept. 17, 1945 //[/1 /2Y L. 5/0 81 A/W'HU/P A9055 .IN V EN TORS Nov. 29, 1949 H. L. BIRD ET AL 2,489,395

MACHINE FOR IMPALING, FEEDING, AND SLICING COMMODITIES I Filed Sept. 17, 1945 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 Patented Nov. 29,; 1949 i UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE MACHINE FOR IMPALING, FEEDING, AND SLICING COMMODITIES Henry Leon Bird and Arthur Rose, Arlington, Calif.

Application September 17, 1945, Serial No. 616,772

2 Claims. (Cl. 14.6-111) invention consists in the novel and useful pro vision, formation, construction, association and reiat-ivearrangement of parts, members and flea-- tures, all as shown in a certain embodiment in the accompanying drawings, described generally and more particularly pointed out in the claims.

In the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a top plan view of the slicing machine;

Fig. 2 is a side elevationof the slicing machine example, health food stores now offer for con 10 shown in Fig. 1;

sumption a substance known as gluten. This gluten may be cooked to produce what is known as a gluten steak of high nutritive value. The present slicing machine is particularly adapted to cut gluten into any desired slice thickness to provide steaks ready for cooking. As a rule, gluten is formed in a long roll of some definite diameter and the slices are cut from this roll by hand. This a tedious operation, the slices Vary as to thickness and the gluten is difficult to handle.

An object of the resent invention is the provision of a slicing machine particularly adapted to the cutting of masses which are elastic and tenacious in character with great rapidity and accuracy in the desired out.

Another object is the provision of a slicing machine which requires little personal attention after it is once set in operation. As rapidly as the work is fed to the machine, the machine will perform its cutting operation. Hence a single attendant is all that is necessary for successful use of the machine.

Another object of the invention is the provision. in a slicing machine of a positive means for feeding the work to be cut, and wherein the work is securely held during the feeding operation.

' Another object is the provision of a slicing machine which incorporates a novel means for di resting work to a cutter and wherein the Work is advanced toward said cutter in accordance with cutter speed.

- Another object is the provision of a slicing ma chine adapted to handle elastic and glutinous: masses which normally compress easily in sucha manner as to overcome any inherent compression in the mass, to the end that cutting thereof may be performed with predetermined accuracy.

Other objects include a slicing machine which is compact, readily placed in use at a selected location, foolproof in operation, of few moving parts and generally superior to slicing machinesof the automatic feed type now known to the inn ventors.

:With the above and other objects in view, the 5 l6 extend between the members 9.

Fig. 3 is a front elevation looking in the direc tion of the arrow 301? Fig. 2

Fig. i is an enlarged detail, partially in section,- of one of the feed elements of the invention;

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary sectional view of means for actuating the feed elements of the invention;-

Fig. 6 is a fragmentary detail of a drive means for the" feed elements;

Fig. '7' is a perspective view of one of the blade elements of the invention;

Fig. '8 is a fragmentary detail, partly in section, of a blade element; and,

Fig. 9 is a fragmentary side elevation of a beltti'ghtenin'g means.

Referring now to the drawings:

The improved slicing machine is shown in one embodiment and designated as an entirety by L The said machine includes an elongated trough 2 which in the present instance has the appearance of an open channel in cross section,- as shown in Fig. 3 at 3; a rotaryknife 4. constituting a wheel provided with a plurality of radially arranged blades 5 adapted to cut material fed through the trough 2, as indicated at 6, together with feed means I constituting impaling devices or picks mounted for movement relative to the trough and in such a manner as to impale any work: within the trough and move said work progressive-1y toward the rotary knife 4. The invention further contemplates suitable means for actuating the afore mentioned instrum'entalities.

The slicing machine has its various operating parts so coordinated as to occupy a small space and to be suitably carried upon a framing designated generally as 8. This framing includes pairs of legs, one pair being designated as 9 and the other pair as Ill, with interconnecting pieces- If joining pairs of said legs, which interconnecting pieces are provided with rollers [2- whereby the framing and mechanism carried thereby may be moved. Framing members 13 and M trans versel-y extend between members I0, and like framing members which are indicated at It and To property brace members 9 and I9, interconnecting frame members of the character shown at I! are provided. It is to be observed upon reference to Fig. 2 that a portion of members 10 is substantially in right angular relationship to members I I, while a second portion of members l is at an angle as shown at Illa. The angularity of part Illa corresponds to the angularity assumed by members 9 relative to members ll, members Mia and 9 being substantially parallel. Supported by the members l4 and I and extending transversely therebetween is an open-centered elongated rectangular framing 18.

The gluten or other elastic mass to be cut is preferably rolled to cylindrical form so as to fit within the trough 2. This trough is conventional in form and in the present instance is channellike in cross section, as indicated by the line IS in Fig. 3. The gluten is placed in this channel and is adapted to be progressively moved therealong by means of the impaling devices or picks 1?. Usually the trough is flushed with a liquid such as water so that the gluten will not stick thereto. This trough is supported by the framing and extends transversely between upper framing members l4 and i5.

It is intended that the rotary knife 4 should be in such a position as to have the knife members 5 thereof contiguous to the trough end 5. The trough at this end is provided with a shear plate 2i. This shear plate has an opening 22 which corresponds to the channel section of the trough and has a transverse portion at 23 which extends above the top edges of said trough. The rotary knife includes a disc 24, an annulus or ring 25 spaced from the circumference of said disc to provide an annular way 25, and blades 5 spanning the way. The blades 5 are substantially radially arranged and are of the form shown in Figs. 7 and 8. Specifically, each blade includes an elongated member reduced in thickness at its ends 2'! and 28 and provided with a beveled edge portion 29 to thereby provide a knife edge at 38. The reduced portions 2'! and 28 are transversely perforated at 3| and 32, whereby said blades may be secured between the disc 24 and the annulus 25. By reducing the thickness of the ends of the blades shown at 21 and 28, shoulders are formed as indicated at 33 and 34. The blades are interposed between the disc 24 and the annulus 25 so that the edge of the disc and the inner edge of the annulus bear against the shoulders 33 and 34 respectively, the reduced thickness end portions 21 and 28 overlapping the annulus and the disc. Suitable means such as screws or rivets ar passed through the perforations 3| and 32 and into the disc and annulus for securing the blades in position of service. The spacing between the blades is such that when one blade has completed its passage over the shear plate another blade is commencing its passage thereover. Other blade spacing may be resorted to, depending upon the speed with which the material to be cut is fed.

Shaft 35 is reduced in diameter at one end, and disc 24 is axially mounted thereon. The shaft 35 is suitably supported in bearings 35 and 31 secured to the frame members I4 and [6. The reduced end portion is partially screwthreaded so as to receive a nut 39. The disc 24 is held between two washers 40 and 4|, and when the nut 39 is tightened the washer 4! will engage the annular shoulder formed by the different diameter portions of the shaft, thus clamping the disc.

form 46, as shown at 5| and 52.

To prevent end play in the shaft, washers are secured to the shaft at 42 and 43.

The shaft 35 at the end opposite the rotary knife carries pulley wheels 44 and 45.

Extending between the framing members I3 and I5 is a platform 45. Carried on the platform is a motor 4?, the shaft of which carries a gear 48. Gear 48 meshes with gear 49 mounted on shaft 50, the shaft 50 being carried on pedestal type bearing members extending from the plat- Shaft 55 carries at one end a pulley 53.

A shaft 54 is mounted in bearings 55 and 56 carried on framing members I4 and E5. The outermost end of said shaft 54 carries a pulley wheel 51. A continuous belt 58 is passed between pulley wheels 44 and 51. Shaft 54 carries a pulley wheel 59 and a continuous belt 58 is passed between said pulley wheel and pulley wheel 53. Thus when the motor is energized the rotary knife will be driven at a selected speed, with the base faces 6| of each blade sweeping over the shear plate 23.

The means for feeding the work to be out along the trough include spaced impaling devices or picks 1. These picks are of the form shown in Fig. 4, and wherein a rod has two portions 62 and 63 interconnected by an offset 64, whereby portions 52 and 63 are substantially j parallel, and a pointed member 65 is in substan tially right angular relationship to part 52. Part 63 carries a weight 66.

The construction is such that the pick is adpted to be moved from the position shown in Fig. 4 to a position at right angles to said showing in the actual use of the device. The picks of impaling devices 1 are adapted to be spacedly mounted on hinges designated generally as 61, which hinges include two strap members 68 and 69 interconnected by the usual knuckle and pin 18, the part 52 of the pick being secured to hinged strap 58 as by welding, as indicated at H, while the other strap 69 is riveted or otherwise secured transversely to a belt 12. This belt constitutes a part of means for progressively moving the picks so that the picks when properly actuated may impale the article to be fed through the trough toward the rotary knife.

An angle iron 13 extends transversely between the frame members [4 and I6. One end of said member 13 carries a bearing 14, while the opposite end is provided with an adjustable extension 15. (See Fig. 9.) Extension 15 is provided with a bearing 16. Pulleys I1, 18 are mounted on shafts 19, 88 carried in bearings l6, 14. The continuous belt 12 is carried between the pulleys 17, 18. The shaft is passed through bearing 8|, secured to one end of frame l8. A bevel gear 82 carried by shaft 80 meshes with gear 83 secured to shaft 84. Suitable bearings secured to the framing l8 support shaft 84, as indicated at 85. Suitable supports 86 carry bearings 87 and 88 for a jack-shaft 89. A pulley and a gear 9| are mounted on the shaft. The shaft 34 carries gear 92, which meshes with gear 9 I. A con- 31131110115 belt 93 is passed between pulleys 45 and The belt 12 may be provided on the inner surface thereof with a plurality of spaced transverse cleats 94, see Fig. 6. These cleats assure a positive movement of the belt and prevent slippage of the belt around the pulleys l1 and 18. Each pulley is provided with spaced transversely extending grooves 95 adapted to receive the cleats as the belt passes around the pulleys. Each cleat is formed with-a longitudinally extending groove 95 It will be observed that the cleat is on a side of the belt opposite one of the leaves 69 of the hinge, and that the part 63 of the pickis adapted to be receviedwithin-the transverse groove 96 of the cleat. In this manner the part 63 does not interfere with movement of the belt in its pass- .agearound. the pulleys. As each pick is weighted, .as shownat 66, the picks tend to maintain the position illustra'tedin Fig. 4. Inthe present invention the picks however are moved positively so as to have the sharpened end 65 thereof forcibly driven into the commodity to be moved along th trough 2. This is accomplished by providing a rod 91 suitably supported by means of brackets 3.8, and 99. 'The'backets are supported by a'framing member lll'fl transversely mounted between the framing members and 16, see Fig. 3. It is to be noted that the brackets extend upwardly between two stretches of the belt 12. The rod 81 has an extended portion MI, and a cam portion I02, which latter portion is formed by curving the said rod upwardly and inwardly, as best shown in Figs. 1 and 2. The portion Illl parallels the sides of the trough and is spaced slightly thereabove. The portion I02 curves inwardly toward the axis of shaft 19. Thus when the pulleys 11 and 18 are being rotated, the belt 12 is moved and the end portion I02 of the rod 91 will engage the part 62 on each pick and swing the pick downwardly about its hinged point, as illustrated for several positions of the pick members in Fig. 3, until the pick parts 62 and B3 assume a horizontal position or a position transverse to the trough. When this occurs the sharpened ends 65 will be substantially centrally received within the trough and the depth vertically thereof, see Fig. l, The rod part llll terminates a short distance inwardly from the trough end, substantially at a distance equal to the spacing between two picks. When a pick reaches the end of the rod, the weight 66 tends to erect the same to the position shown in Fig. 4. However, the erection may not be rapid enough if the belt is travelling at a high speed, and to assure proper erection a further cam rod is provided at I 03, see Figs. 2 and 5. One end of the rod I03 is secured to bracket 98, as by means of a clamp I04, while the opposite end is fastened to the framing I8, at I05. Rod N33 has a curve of small radium and is adapted to be brought into contact with weight 66 of each pick to cam the pick to an upright position, see the position shown in Fig. 4.

Adjustably carried by framing member l8 through the medium of a shiftable bracket I06, is a gauge plate 101. This gauge plate by means of the adjustment allowed the bracket may be held at any desired spacing from the exterior surface of rotary knife 4, see Fig. 5.

The operation, uses and advantages of the invention are as follows:

When the motor is energized all of the parts are set in motion, to wit: the rotary knife will turn at a selected speed, the belt 12 will move transversely of the pulleys 11 and 18, and the pick members will move from an upright position to a horizontal position so as to transversely impale any material within the trough 2, and move said material toward the end of the trough at such a rate that the rotary blade will slice the same.

If gluten is the material to be sliced, a suitable kettle is placed at I08 so that slices of material may drop within the said kettle. As a rule, the kettle is filled with a hot liquid, such as water,

which :tends .to cook the surface of theugluten slices, to the end that they .do not stick tog-ethen. It -.willbe.observedfrom Fig.2 that the slicing machine inclines downwardly toward the discharge end of the'trough. This construction is used in order toca'ssist movement -;0.f the material, within the trough and to allow the slices ;to fall f eesof the knives.

If the material to be cut is gluten, theglutensis rolled to form so as to fit within the trough. The trough is elongated andextends beyondthe pulleyfi'l, soas to permit an-operator to insert in the trough rolls of gluten prior to the picks contacting the gluten, This trough is flushed with water so that feeding of the gluten will be;facilitated, and to accomplish this we, have illustrated in the figures an overhead spraypipe2tl0 posi tioned centrally of the trough. .As the belt." moves, the picks are actuated 'by the cam portion 102 so as t bring the sharpened ends 65 into penetrating engagement with the gluten body. These pick ends then move the gluten body along the trough so that an end of said body may be projected beyond the shear plate and into engagement with the gauge plate prior to a cutter blade engaging the gluten. The blade then passes through the gluten to cut a slice from the main body, which slice drops within the liquid in kettle I08. Each pick as it nears the end of part [ill of rod 91 is forcibly removed from the gluten by being actuated to a vertical position through the medium of the cam rod I03. As previously stated, this action is very sudden and abrupt and must be acomplished just prior to the gluten being sliced by the rotary knife. Gluten and substances of a similar nature compress easily, are rubbery and are difiicuit to slice, or at least to produce a slice of uniform thickness. It has been found that travelling conveyor belts, plunger methods or attempts to squeeze material through a tube are not successful, and the present means shown and described of providing picks at spaced points for moving the gluten has performed in a successful manner and without the gluten compressing or bunching. The present machine operates rapidly and is capable of cutting 350 slices of gluten per minute, utilizing one operator to place the gluten in the elongated trough. The cutter blades are easily removed from the rotary knife for sharpening or replacement, In order to assure that the rotary knife will not develop any wobble or uneven movement, a bracket I09 is secured to the framing, and an angled end of said bracket carries a pressure roller H0 adapted to have contact with the outer face of the annulus 25. This roller has contact with said face adjacent one side of the pressure plate 2|, see Fig. 3.

The device as an entirety may be easily shifted on the dirigible framing provided for this purpose.

We claim:

1. In a gluten slicing machine, an elongated U-sectioned trough having a smooth-surfaced interior, a shear plate at one end of said trough, a gauge plate contiguous to the shear plate, and a rotary knife interposed between the shear plate and the gauge plate, comprising a plurality of spaced radial blades adapted for sweeping move-- ment across the shear plate; said trough adapted to hold an elongated roll of gluten, and picks adapted to be received within the trough to impale the gluten roll transversely throughout its length, and means for causing simultaneous movement of all the picks toward the shear plate to move the gluten roll between the radial blades and against the gauge plate.

2.'In a gluten slicing machine, an elongated U-sectioned trough having a smooth-surfaced interior, a shear plate at one end of said trough, a gauge plate contiguous to the shear plate. and a rotary knife interposed between the shear plate and the gauge plate, comprising a plurality of spaced radial blades adapted for sweeping movement-across the shear plate; said trough adapted 10 to hold an elongated roll of gluten, picks adapted to be received within the trough to impale the gluten roll transversely:- throughout its length, means for causing simultaneous movement of all the picks toward the shear plate to move the gluten roll between the radial blades and against the gauge plate, and' ineans for the trough for supplying a wetting agent thereto during movement of the gluten roll.

- HENRY LEON BIRD.

ARTHUR ROSE.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

5 UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date I 319,910 Johnston June 9, 1885 834,046 Cave Oct. 23, 1906 854,229 Miller May 21, 1907 1,438,365 Dick Dec. 12, 1922 1,455,402 Kolarik May 15, 1923 1,651,335 Weiscopf Nov. 29, 1927 1,884,912 Stukart Oct. 25, 1932 2,016,689 Strachan Oct. 8, 1935 15 2,152,393 Turner Mar. 28, 1939 2,201,959 Schmidt May 21, 1940 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 20 879 Great Britain Mar. 10, 1875 91,626 Sweden Mar. 3, 1938 

